Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-12-07
q Serial Stnrp.
THE NINE OF HEARTS.
BY B. L. FARJEON.
Nv.

0l D.. IL. EAhJEUN.
Dr. Daincourt called while was dress
ing, after few hours sleep. am not
usually dreamer, but had dream SO
strange that I awoke with the memory OF
it in my mind. 1t was of hands-ladles'
hands-every finger Of which was covered
with rings. Holding the theory, as have
already explained that the imagination
during sleep is not creative, but invari.
ably works upon foundation Of fact, !
was endeavoring to trace the connection
between my singular dream and some oe-
currence or circumstance within my
knowledge, when DR.. Daincourt entered.
"Wcu," were his first words, "have
You made anything Of the letters which I
left with you last night?'
81 was employed only upon one" !
said, (Which kept me up until o'clock
this morning. don't begrudge the time
or the labor, because I have discovered the
clew to Master Eustace Rutland's COM
munications to his sister,"
s'That means,n said DR.. Daincourt, ex-
citedly, 'that you haves discovered the
mystery of the mine of hearts y"
SIN SO far" replied, ''as respects the
playing cards found in Miss Rutland's
desk-yes, have discovered that part of
the mystery; but I have not yet dis
covered the mystery OF the particular
nine of hearts which was found in the
pocket of Edward Layton's ulster"
I showed DR.. Daincourt the result OF
my labors on the previous night, and he
was delighted and very much interested,
but presently his face became clouded.
II am still disturbed" he said, 'sby the
dread that the task you are engaged upon
may bring Miss Rutland into serious
trouble"
'T hope not" was my rejoinder to the
remark, "but shall not allow considera-
tions of any kind to stop me. Edward
Layton is an innocent man, and I intend
to prove him SO"
'If he is innocent" said DR.. Daincourt,
"then Miss Rutland must also be inno-
cent?
"Undoubtedly," said, ''with a cheer
full smile, which did much to reassure the
worthy doctor.
"Have you opened the two sealed let
ters," asked DR.. Daincourt, (which I
brought from Mrs. Rutland's house?"
'.No," replied. 81 have devoted my
self only to the first of the opened letters
found in Miss Rutland's desk. I shall
proceed Immediately with the second, and
then I shall feel myself warranted in open
ing and reading the letters which arrived
for Miss Rutland during her illness. By
the way, doctor, have hed singular
dream, and upon your entrance was en-
deavoring to track it. 1t was dream OF
ladies' hands, covered with rings"
'tAny bodies attached to the hands?" in
quired DR.. Daincourt, loosely.
''No; simply hands. They seemed to
pass before my vision, and to rise up in
unexpected places-pretty shapely HANDS.
But it was not so much the hands that
struck me as being singular as the fact
that they were covered with rings of ono
particular kind"
''What kind?''
II must have seen thousands Of rings
upon the shapely fingers, and there was
not one that was not set with diamonds
and turquoises.
A light came into DR.. Daincourt's face.
'tAnd you mean to tell me that you can't
discover the connection"'
No; can't for the life of me discover
it.n
s'That proves" said DR.. Daincourt,
chow easy it is for man engaged upon q
serious task to overlook important facts
which are as plain as the monday SUM-"
"What facts have overlooked,
doctor?''
'Have you the newspapers in the room
containing the report Of the trial?"
"Yes,"
"Give me the one containing the report
of the third days proceedings"
handed it to him, and he ran his eyes
down the column in which the evidence o.
the waiter in Prevost's restaurant was re-
ported.
''The waiter was asked" said DR.. Dain-
court, 'whether the lady who accompa-
MED Edward Layton was married, ana
whether there were rings upon the fingers
of her ungloved hand"
eyes, yes,'' cried, "I remember! Ans
the waiter answered that she wore ring
Of torquoises and diamonds. Of course
Of course. That explains my dream.''
eyes" said DR.. Daincourt, "that ex-
plains it.
II need no further assurance" said
'sto prove that it was Miss Rutland who
was in Edward Layton's company ON the
night of the 25th of March, but wish t.
ask her mother whether the young lady
possesses such a ring, and is in the habis
of wearing it. Your face is clouded again,
doctor. You fear that am really about
to bring trouble upon Miss Rutland. You
are mistaken; am working in the cause
of justice. If prove Edward Layton to
be innocent, no shadow of suspicion can
rest upon Miss Rutland. You must trust
entirely to me. Can you not now under
stand why Edward Layton refused to be
defended by a shrewd legal mind? He
would not permit a cross examination OF
any of the witnesses which would bring
the name of Mabel Rutland before the
public. To save her honor, to protect her
from scandal and calumny, he is ready to
sacrifice himself. He shall not do so. I
will prevent it. Your patient is in a state
Of delirium, you tell me. She knows
nothing Of what passes around her, she
recognizes no one, she has not heard of the
peril in which Edward Layton stands
Say that she remains in this state Of
ignorance until Edward Layton is SELL
fenced and hanged for crime which he
did not commit-say, then, that she re-
covers and hears of threads of it-why,
she will 60 mad 1t would be impossible
for her to preserve her reason in circum-
stances so terrible. There is clear duty
before us, DR.. Daincourt, and we must
not shrink from it. I need not urge upon
you to use your utmost skill to restore
Mabel Rutland to health, and to the con-
sciousness of what is passing around her.
If before Edward Layton is put again
'apon his trial do not clear him, shall
not hesitate to makeSome kind of appeal
to Miss Rutland which, even should She
remain delirious, shall result in favor Of
the man who is so nobly and rashly pro-
tecting her good name"
Remember" said Dr.. Daincourt.
gravely, "that she is in great danger.''
"You mean that she may die soon?"
eyes"
'But not suddenly:' I asked, in alarm.
81 think not suddenly"
"Still," said, "there is a chance OF
her being restored to health?'
''Yes, there is chance of it,"
eff the worse happens" said, "is it
likely that she would recover conscious
ness before her death?"
''It is almost certain that she would"
sThen it would be necessary" I said,
''to take her dying deposition. Doctor, it
is my firm conviction that the man and
the woman who entered Edward Layton's
house after midnight on the 25th Of
March were not Edward Layton and Ma
bel Rutland"